Means for preventing slippage of traction-wheels.



PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907. R. SHIPMAN. MEANS FOR' PREVENTING SLIPPAGE 0F TRACTION WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1906.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

m M m a w Y A v M pun PATENTED JAN. 15', 1907.

'R. SHIPMAN. MEANS FOR PREVENTING SLIPPAG E 0F TRACTION WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILE 1D MAY 3, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3 run "1701',

ill

. To. all whom, it may concern.-

' occur; but any sud UNITED STA'EEiEgEENT OFFICE.

TV RALPHSHIPMAN, -OF SUNBURY, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR PREVENTING Be it known that I, RALPH SHIPMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sunbury, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Preventin Slippage of Traction-Wheels, of which the ollowmg is a specification.

My invention relates to means for automatically regulatin the power applied to the traction-wheels of ocomotives or other motor-driven vehicles, so as to of the traction-wheels.

By means of my invention themotor may apply full power to the traction-wheels up to the point Where slip age of the wheels would (l en slippage oi the wheels or a slippa e in excess of a predetermined amount result in diminishin the power of the motor to such an extent t at further slippage cannot take place.

carrying out my invention I providea controlling device for throttling or otherwise varying the power of the motor and means operated by one of the traction-wheels and a truck or trailer wheel for actuating this controllingv device to reduce" thepower of the motor when slippage occurs and to gradually irllicrease the power when the wheels cease to S p y t In the accompanyin drawings, which illustrate my invention, B 'gure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive having my improvements appliedthereto. Fig. 2. is a plan view of the governing mechanism for automatically throttling the steam when slippage of the driving or traction wheels occurs. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on'the line 4 4 of Fi 3. Fig. 5 is a side view of a portion of an e ectric-motor car having my improvements applied to'a truck, and Fig. 6 is a, plan view of the governing de- Referrin to Figs. 1.4t, inclusive, of the drawings, indicates outline suflicient of. a steam-locomotivefor the purpose of illu's I trating'my inventiorn In the pipel, leading from'the-jsteamdofiie of the boiler, is arranged a-controlling-valve 2, which is rotatable by means of a rod'orstem 3, extending vertically '(lownward through the smoke-box of the locomotiveand having secured to its I lower end a crank or lever 4. The valve 2 is shown in the rear branch of the fitting 5,

which connects thepipe 1 with the branch pipes 6, leading to the steam chests of the o Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May'S, 1906. Serial No. 815,01I.

prevent slippage SLIPPAGE OF TRACTION-WHEELS.

Patented Jan. 15. 1907.

locomotive, only one of said branch pipes being shown in the drawings. By turning the crank 4 in one direction or the other the valve 2 may be turned-s0 as to throttle the steam passing to both steam-chests or to permit'the steam to pass through freely. This valve 2 is operated automatically, so as to throttle the steam flowing to the steam-'- chests and cylinders whenever the slippage of the driving-wheels exceeds a predetermined amountthat is, in practice the tractionwheels of a locomotive hauling a train of cars will have some slight and practically constant slippage, which may amount to, say, one revolution in twenty, fifty, or a hundred, and it is not desirable to reduce the power applied to the driving-wheels on account of this slight constant 'slippa e which occurs through various causes whi e the train is in operation under ordinary conditions. In my invention, therefore, the throttle-valve is not operated to reduce the flow of steam for this slight constant slippage, but any slippage which occurs in excess of the slight constant slippage referred to will cause the throttlevalve to immediately'throttle the steam to a sufiicient extent to stop the wheels from slip- The automatic controlling of the throttlevalve 2 is accomplished b the following mechanism: On the axle 7 0 one of the pony truck-wheels 8 is secured a sprocket-wheel 9,

which is connected by a s rocket-chain 10 to a sprocket-wheel 11, the atter being secured to a counter-shaft 12, arrangedparallel with the axle 7 beneath the boiler of the engine in suitable hangers 13, only one of which is.

shown in Fig.1. As practically no slippage occurs between the pony truck-wheel and the track T, if the circumferential'length of the wheel tread is, i for instance, one hundred inches thepony truck-wheel will turn once'for each one hundred inches of track .traversed by the locomotive, and the number of revolu tions of the counter-shaft'will be directly in proportionto the length of track traversed and its speed will be in direct proportion to' the speed of the truck-wheel. A sleeve 14 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 12, and this sleeve has a sprocket-wheel 15 secured thereto and connected to a sprocketwheel 16 on one of the driving-axles 17 of the locomotive by a sprocket-chain 18. The counter shaft 12 and sleeve 14 turn'in the same direction; but the sprocket-wheels are so proportioned that the shaft 12 rotates at a slightly-greater fore when the sleeve is turned faster than speed than the sleeve when the locomotive is operating without sli page of the driversas, for instance, where the locomotive is drifting with steam cut off.

The shaft 12 has a cam-hub 19 journaled thereon, and this hub has at one end a V- shaped notch or recess 20. A cam-collar 21, splined upon the sleeve 14, so as to rotate therewith and be movable longitudinally thereon, has a wedge-shaped end 22, which fits within the notch or recess in the hub 19. The wedge shaped end of the collar 21 is normally held within the V-shaped recess in the hub by a spring 23, interposed between the sprocket-wheel 15 and the collar. The inclined faces of the hub and collar form camsurfaces by means ,of which anyrotation of the hub and collar relatively to one another will cause the collar to move longitudinally upon the sleeve 14 against pressure of the spring 23. Normally the shaft 12 turns faster than the sleeve 14; but a slippage of the traction-wheel will cause the sleeve 14 to move faster than the shaft 12. Means are provided for preventing the hub 19 from moving faster than the shaft 12, and theresaid shaft the hub being held down to the speed of the shaft will cause the collar 21, which turns with the sleeve, to move longitudinally on the sleeve away. from the hub. This longitudinal movement of the collar 21 causes a lever 24 torock about its pivotal point 25. This lever has an elongated eye or slot 26 at its free end,which engages a pin 27 upon the crank 4. It will be seen that any movement given to the lever 24 will cause a movement of the throttle valve 2, which is connected to the lever by the rod 2 and crank 4. As shown in the drawings, the collar 21 has a groove 28, which is engaged .bya yoke 24 on the lever. 1

In order to permit the shaft 12 to turn freely within the sleeve 14 and hub 19 at a faster speed than said sleeve and hub and yet prevent the hub from being driven at a faster speed than the shaft when slippage of the drivers occurs, and also to arrange the parts so that they will operate the same when the locomotive is moving forward or backward, I

provide a pawlP, which has a shank 29 pivoted to the shaft 12 by a pivot-pin 30 and a head 31, which isiarra ed within a transverse slot 32 in the shaft 12. The shank 29 extends longitudinally of the shaft within a groove 33, and its outer edge 29 is curved, as shown. The head 'of the pawl has two teeth 34 and 35, adapted to engage ratchet-teeth- 36 within the end of thehub 19. A spring 37, arranged within a socket in the shaft 12, normally presses the shank of the pawl outward. v A sleeve 38 is arranged upon the shaft 12 and movable longitudinally thereon by means of a bell-crank lever 39,8. link 40, and a lever and rod 41 and 42, respectively,

the latter being connected to the engineers reversing-lever 43 in the engine-cab. 1

In Fig. 1 the engineers lever is thrown slightly forward of the center,-and in this position the sleeve 38 is drawn away from the curved surface 29' of the shank of the pawl,

permitting the tooth 34 of the pawl to engage the ratchet-teeth 36, as shown in Fig. 4.

When the reversing-lever is in the central position, the sleeve 38 is moved part way onto the curved surface of the pawl and presses the head of the pawl into a central position, where neither of the teeth 34 or 35 will engage the ratchet-teeth. When. the reversing-lever is thrown back of the center, the spring-tooth 35 on the pawl comes into engagement with the ratchet-teeth. In other words, when the engine is moving forward the pawl-tooth 34 engages the ratchetteeth at one side of the shaft 12. When the engine ismoved backward, the tooth 35 of the pawl engages the ratchet-teeth at theopposite side of the shaft, and when the engine is stopped neither of the pawl-teeth engages the rate et-teeth. The awl-tooth 35, as shown in Fig. 4, is movab e longitudinally within the head of thepawl and'normally pressed tooth 35 will slip over the teeth 36 when the shaft is moving faster than the hub and both are moving in a direction opposite to that mdicated by the arrow in Fig. 4; but if the hub begins to move faster than the shaft and in the same direction the spring-tooth 35 will lock with the ratchet-teeth and prevent the hub from moving faster than the shaft.

In operation when the reversing-lever is thrown forward the collar 38 is moved out of engagement with-the shank of the pawl the tooth 34 on the pawl is yieldingly pressed into engagement with the ratchet-teeth 36 by the spring 37. The shaft 12 will, as before stated, rotate in the direction indicated by wheel 8, by which it is'driven, and the number of revolutions of the shaft 12 will be in direct pro ortion to the length of track trav ersed." T e sleeve 14 and the hub 19 will also rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, but at a slightly lower speed than that of the shaft, if no slippage occurs.

but if a slippage of the driving-wheel B oc-' rotating faster than the shaft 12, thus caus-.

ing a relative movement between the hub and the sleeve 14. It will be evident that this relative movement will cause the collar 21 on the sleeve to move longitudinally upon the sleeve by reason of the cam-surfaces between said collar and the hub. This ,movement of the collar 21 will rock the lever 24, which in turn will operate the crank 4 and rod 3 thereby turning the controlling-valve 2, so as to throttle the steam. The parts are so arranged that. a sudden slippage of the driving-wheel of, say, one-eighth of a revolution will cause the throttle-valve to close to a suflicient extent to prevent further immediate slippage, or a constant slippage in excess of t the steam until slippage is prevented. The amount of slippage which may occur without operating the throttle-valve is of course determined by the dimensions of the sprocketwheels. If the shaft 12 is geared so as to run approximately at the same speed as the s eeve 14, of course the throttle-valve will be operated with very slight slippage; but by increasing the speed of the shaft12 with res ect to the sleeve 14 a greater amount of s ippage may occur Without affecting the throttle-valve. This is a matter which of course will be adjusted to suit the conditions to be met. moved backward to reverse the engine, the sleeve 38 on the shaft. 12 moves along the shank of'the pawl and presses the springtooth 35 into engagement with the ratchetteeth in the hub, the tooth 34 being then out of engagement. As the engine will then move backward, the hub and shaft "12 will both move in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, and it will be seen that as longlas no slippage occurs above the predetermined amount the tooth 3 5 will slip over the teeth-36 or remain statlonary with respect thereto; but if slip age above said amount occurs the hub 19 wi 1 be pressed by the sleeve 14 against theitooth 35 and the collar 21 and hub will be movedrelatively to one another, the former. being forced outward by the cooperating cam-sur faces, as before, thus operating the lever 24 and through said lever the throttle-valve. It will be understood, of course, that the throttle-valve 2 operates entirely independentlv of the engineers'throttle-valve, and the latter may be left wide open while the engineisinoperation.

- In starting a load it is well known by those skilled in the art that when the drivingwheelsstart to slip or lose the rail it requires at which occurs under ordlnary con-- ditions Wlll result in thegradual throttling of When the reversing-lever is some skill on the part of the engineer to regulate the flow of steam so that the engine will pull up to its full capacity without slippage and that after a wheel has start-ed toslip its t'ractive effort decreases and thewheels will generally make quite a number of revolutions before again catchin the rail. This is not only injurious to the ocomotive and to the fire in the furnace,which is torn up by the excessive exhaust, but the tractive effort is less when the wheels are slipping than when they are en aging the rail with full power at just below t e point of slippage. By means of my invention the throttle wi lbe controlled so that the engine may be worked at its full power up to the point of slippage; but any sudden slippage in starting or in operating the engine or any slippage during-operation in excess of the amount which. is predetermined by the gearing will immediately throttle the steamto such an extent as to prevent further slippage. I

.In Figs. 5 and 6 Ihave illustrated my invention in connection with an electricallypropelled vehicle. Where it is convenient to belt or gear directly from the trailer-wheel axle to the traction-wheel axle, the countershaft may be dispensed with, as shown in. Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig; 5, C indicates a car body and D indicates 'a four-wheeled truck. An electric motor M is suitably geared to the axle 50 of the traction-wheels 51 1 .A

a sprocket-wheel 15*, which is securedto a sleeve 1.4, journaled upon the axle 52- of the trailing wheel 53. 'The sprocket-wheels are proportioned so that the sleeve 14 will turn upon the axle 52 at a slightly lower speed than the said axle and in .t e same direction. As in Figs;. 1-4, inclusive, a collar 21 1s splined upon the sleeve and a hub 19 is journaled upon the shaft and a spring 23 normally presses the taperin end 22 of the collar into thenotch 20 of the ub A'pawl P op-' crates the same as in the previously-described figures, and a collar 38 is splined upon the axle -52 and movable to connect either tooth of the pawl with the ratchet within the hub 19, as in said previously-described figures. The lever 26, operated by the collar 21, engages the controlling-arm 2 of a rheostat R or other motor-controlling device for regulating the power of the motor v inany well-known manner, not necessary to illustrate. The sleeve 38 -may be shifted when .the motor is reversed by mechanically connecting it with the motormans reversingsWitch; but in the drawings I have shown a cam projection 53 upon the sleeve and a guide-rod 54 upon the truck fra'me, which' engages the cam and moves the sleeve 38* longitudinally upon the axle when the motor is reversed. In Fig. 6 the sleeve 38 is shown moved as far as it will go toward the the drawing. If now the motor is reversed,

it will be seen that the end of the rod will en-' gage the side of the cam which is adjacent the hub 19, and as the rod onl hasa limited movement between a pair stop -pins 57 the sleeve will be drawn in a direction away from the hub 19 and off of the pawl P. Thus the osition of the sleeve and of the pawl will e shifted at each change in the direction of movement of the car.

The operation is substantially the same as in the previously-described figures. In Figs. 5 and 6 the lever 26 operates the arm 2 of an electric controller, while in Figs. 1-4, inclusive, the throttle-valve of a steam-engine is operated by the governor. of the sleeve 14 increases above that of the trailer-axle 52, the pawl .holds the hub 19, and thecollar 21 is moved in the direction to cause the controller-arm 2 to insert resistance in the armature-circuit of the motor or otherwise reduce the power applied to thetion, thus moving the controller-arm to increase the power of the motor. After this, so long as no slippa e occurs, the hub 19 will be driven by the col ar 22, but at a slower speed than the axle 52. Whenever slippa e increases to an amount determined by the di ametei of the sprocket-wheels, the operations will be repeated.

Any wheel that travels upon the track without sli page may be used instead of a truck-wheel to drive one member of the governing device. which carries the sliding collar may be driven from the trailer, and the other member of the overnor carrying thepawl may be driven om the traction-wheel, the teeth on the pawl for this change of course being reversed. In such. case the ears will be proportioned, of course, so t at the-member which is driven by the traction-wheel will turn when there is no slippage faster than the member which is driven by the trailer.

I do not intend to limit my invention to the exact arrangement shown in the drawings, as it is obvious that many changes may be made within the scope of my invention.

I What I claim is 1. In a motor driven vehicle, a motor, a motor-controlling device, a trailing or truck wheel, atraction-wheel, and means operated When the speed If desired, the sleeve 2. In a motor-driven vehicle, means for preventing slippage of the traction-wheels comprlsmg a controlling device for regulat ing the power of the motor, and a governor for actuating said device, said governor comrising two members indeppndently driven y a traction and a trailer w eel respectively, and means operated by changes in the relative speeds of said. members for actuating said controlling device.

3. In a motor-driven vehicle, means for.

preventing slippage of the traction-wheels comprising a controlling device for regulating the power of the motor, and a governor for actuating said device, said governor comprising two members independently driven at differentspeeds by a traction and a trailer wheel respectively, and means operated by chan es in the relative speeds of said members or actuating said controlling device.

4. In a motordriven vehicle, amotor, a motor-controlling device, a trailing or truck wheel, a traction-wheel, and a governor for said controlling device comprising a member driven by the trailer-wheel, a member independently driven by the traction-wheel, means for engaging said members when the relative speeds of said members are materially changed by slippage of the tractionwheel, and means connected with one of said members for actuating said controlling device.

5. In a motor-driven vehicle, a motor-controlling device, a traction-wheel, a trailing wheel, two rotatable members independently driven by the traction and trailing wheels respectively, the member driven by the trailing wheel being arranged to normally rotate faster than the member driven by the traction-wheel, saidmembers comprising means operating by changes in the relative speeds of said members for actuating said controlling device.

6. In amotor-driven vehicle, a motor-com trolling device, a traction-wheel, a trailing wheel, two rotatable members independently driven by the traction and trailing wheels respectively, the member driven by the trailing wheel being arranged to normally rotate faster than the member driven by the traction-wheel, one of said members comprising a positively-driven part and a yieldingly-driven part axially movable with respect to one another and havingcooperating cam-surfaces, said yieldingly-driven part having means for interlocking with the other of said members when the speed of the slower moving member is accelerated by slippage,

and connections between said positivelydriven part and said motor-controlling device for operating-the latter. I 7. In a motor-driven vehicle, a motor-controlling device, a traction-wheel, a trailing wheel, two rotatable members independently driven bythe traction andtrailing wheels respectively, the member driven by the trailing wheel being arranged to normally rotate faster than the member driven by the traction-wheel, one of said members comprising two parts, axially and rotatably movable with respect to -one another and having cooperating cam-surfaces, one of said parts being positively driven and the other eing yieldingly driven, said latter part having means for interlocking with the other member when the speed of the slower moving member is accelerated by slippage, and one of said parts bein operatively connected to the motor-control ing device.

8.- In a motor-driven vehicle, a motor-controlling device, a traction-wheel, a trailing wheel, and means for actuating said device to decrease the power of the motor when the traction-wheel slips, comprising two co6perative clutch elements, one rotatable bythe trailing wheel, andthe other rotatable, at a lower speed, by the traction-wheel, one of said elements being yieldingly driven and the other positively driven, said elements being arranged to interlock when the slower-moving element tends, by reason of slip age of the traction-wheel, to exceed the spec .of the faster-moving element, and means coacting' with said yieldingly-driven element for actncam ating the motor-cont'rollin device.

9. In 'a motor-driven ve icle, a motor-con trolling device, a traction-wheel, a trailing wheel, and means for actuating said device to decreasethe power of the motor when the traction-wheels slip comprising two cooperative clutch elements, one rotatable by the trailing wheel, and the other rotatable, at a lower speed, by the traction-wheel, one of. said elements being yieldingly driven and the other positively driven, said elements being arranged to interlock when the slower-moving element tends, by reason of slippage of the traction-wheel, to exceed-the speed of the faster-moving e1ement,-anda cam coacting with said yieldingly-driven element for actuating the motor-controlling device. 10. Ina motor-vehicle, a motor-controlling device, a traction-wheel, a trailing wheel and means for actuating said device to decrease the power of the motor when the traction-wheels slip comprising a clutch element positively driven by one vof said wheels, a positively driven by the other wheel, a clutc element yieldingly drivenbysaid cam and having a cam-surface cooperating therewit-h, the parts driven by the trailing wheel being arranged to normally turn faster than the parts driven by the traction-wheel, said clutch elements being arranged to interlock when the slower-moving element, by reason of sli page of the traction-wheel, tends to run aster than the faster-driven element,

- tions and means, actuated by the relativemove ments of said cam and yieldingly driven member for actuating said motor-controlling device.

11. In a motor-driven vehicle, a motorcontrolling device, a trailing wheel, a traction-wheel, a clutch element positively driven by the trailer-wheel, two cooperating cam devices driven by the traction-wheel at a lower rate of speed than said clutch element, one of said clutch devices being positively driven and the other yieldingly driven, the latter having means for engaging said clutch element when the speed of the devices driven by the traction-wheeltends to exceed. the speed of the element driven by the trailing wheel and connections between one of said cam devices and the motor-controlling device for actuating the latter.

12. Inra motor-driven vehicle, a motorcontrolling device, a-trailing wheel, a traction-wheel, a clutch element positively driven by one of said wheels, two cooperating cam devices driven by the other wheel, one of said cam devices being positively driven and the other yieldingly driven, the latter having shaft when the relative speeds of the trailing and traction wheels are materially changed by slippage of the latter wheel, and connections between one of said cam devices andthe motor-controlling device for operating the latter. v

.13. In a motor-driven vehicle, a motorcont'rolling device, a trailing wheel, a traction wheel, a clutch element positively driven by one of said wheels, two cooperating cam devices driven by the other wheel at a different speed from that of the clutch element, but in the same direction, one of said cam devices being positively driven and the other yieldingly driven, the latter having means for engaging the clutch element on the shaft when the relative speeds of the trailing and traction wheels are materially changedbysli page of the latter wheel, and connecbetween one of said cam devices and the motor-controlling device for operating the latter.

14. In a motor-driven vehicle, a motor controlling device, a trailing wheel, a traction-wheel, a shaft positivel vdriven by one of said wheels, a clutch e ement on said -means for engaging the cliitch element on the of the traction-wheel, and connections between one of said cam devices and the motorcontrolling device for operating the latter.

15. In a motor-driven veh1cle, a motor- 4o said wheels in the same direction as said cam anism when the motor isreversed.

control device, a trailing wheel, a traction-whee two coacting cam-devices driven by on'e'of said wheels, one of saiddevices being-positively driven and the other vieldingly driven, connections between one of said cam devices and the motor-controlling device, a

member driven positively by the otherof said wheels in the same direction as said cam devices but at a different speed, said member and said yieldingly-driven cam having coacting pawl-and-ratchet mechanism constituting a clutch, arranged to prevent the slowermoving part from exceedin the speed of the filtister-moving part, when t traction-wheel s ps.

16. In a motor-driven vehicle, a motor-' controlling device a trailing wheel, a traction-wheel, two coacting cam devices driven by one of said wheels, one of said devices being positively driven and the other yieldingly driven, connections between one of said cam devices and the motor-controlling device, a member driven positively by the other ofsaid wheels in the same direction as said cam devices but at a different speed, said member and said yieldingly-driven cam having coacting pawl-and-ratchet mechanism constituting a clutch arranged to prevent the slowermoving part from exceeding the speed of the faster part, when the traction-wheel slips, and means for reversing said ratchet mech- 17. In a motor-driven vehicle, a motorcontrolling device, a trailing wheel, a traction-wheel, two coacting cam devices driven by one of said wheels, one of said devices being positively driven and the other. 'eldingly driven, connections between one 0 said cam devices and the motor-controlling device,a member driven positively by the other of devices but ata different speed, said member and said yieldingly-driven cam having coacting pawl-a'nd-ratchet mechanism, constituting a clutch arranged to prevent the slowermoving part from exceeding the speed of the faster-moving part,'when the traction-wheel slips, a reversing-lever for the motor, and

means operated by the reversing-lever for reversing. the ratchet mechanism. p 18. In a locomotive, a throttle-valve, a traction-wheel, a trailing or truck wheels-11d a governing device actuated by both of said wheels for moving said throttle val've.

19. In a motor-driven vehicle, a motorcontro device, atrailing wheel, a trac- .tion-Whee two coacting cam devices driven by one of said wheels, one cam device having I one wheel, a sleeve journaled on the shaft andpositively driven by the other wheel, a cam splined on the sleeve, so as to rotate with and be movable longitudinally on the sleeve, a

' cam journaled on the shaft and engaging the cam'on the sleeve, a spring normally pressing.- said cams together, connections between the cam on the sleeve and-the motor-controlling device for operating the latter, and a reversible awl-and-ratchet mechanism between the s aft and the cam which is journaled on' the shaft. v

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

ROBERT WATSON,

FRANCIS S. MAGUIRE.

, RALPH SHIPMAN. 

